Neighborhood Block Parties Speak Out About Child Abuse

Neighborhood Block Parties Speak Out About Child Abuse

BRIAN D. SANDERFORD TIMES RECORD Papa Rap performs with his volunteer band members at Spradling Elementary School during a Step Up, Speak Out Block Party on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012. Four block parties were held around the city to spread awareness about child abuse. Each location had live music, food, guest speakers and the pom and cheer squads from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

Neighborhood Block Parties Speak Out About Child Abuse

BRIAN D. SANDERFORD • TIMES RECORD Faithfully Fit program director Crystal Cole, left, and instructor Hachya Franklin entertain the crowd with Drums Alive on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013 during the Step Up Speak Out block party at Spradling Elementary School. Step Up Speak Out events were held at Tilles Elementary and Evans Boys & Girls Club in Fort Smith along with block parties in Van Buren, Greenwood and Lavaca. The Step Up Speak Out organization educates the community on child abuse and is focused on stopping child abuse in the Fort Smith area. Sam T. Sicard, CEO of First National Bank and other community leaders formed Step Up Speak Out after the Penn State molestation scandal.

Neighborhood Block Parties Speak Out About Child Abuse

BRIAN D. SANDERFORD TIMES RECORD Tina Faus, 2, front, and Emely Perez, 4, along with other children participate in Drums Alive on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013 during the Step Up Speak Out block party at Spradling Elementary School. Crystal Cole, program director at Faithfully Fit in Van Buren lead the group of volunteers. Step Up Speak Out events were held at Tilles Elementary and Evans Boys & Girls Club in Fort Smith along with block parties in Van Buren, Greenwood and Lavaca. The Step Up Speak Out organization educates the community on child abuse and is focused on stopping child abuse in the Fort Smith area. Sam T. Sicard, CEO of First National Bank and other community leaders formed Step Up Speak Out after the Penn State molestation scandal.

Neighborhood block parties scheduled for April 30 will spread the word about child abuse prevention for Step Up, Speak Out.

Spring block parties are planned for three locations in Fort Smith, along with locations in Van Buren, Barling and Charleston, according to Sam Sicard, who founded the Step Up, Speak Out initiative two years ago to help educate the community on the prevalence of child abuse and its prevention.

“We are geared up for it,” said Sicard, president of First National Bank of Fort Smith. He explained that with each set of block parties, held in the spring and fall each year, organizers want to target areas where it may be harder to reach people.

“We saw great success with that,” Sicard added, noting that the smaller, more intimate settings for block parties were more inviting for residents in the neighborhoods hosting the block parties.

Area residents will be able to choose a block party in their neighborhood and be treated to free food, family entertainment and giveaways, according to Kevin Crawford, marketing and public relations chairman for Step Up, Speak Out, an initiative supported in part by the United Way of Fort Smith Area. T-shirts, bearing the national child abuse hotline number, also will be distributed. Speakers will share information kids and families need to help them be safe.

Participants might win a bike or a skateboard; they can register at the block party they attend, Crawford added, noting that participants also are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Block parties will be held from 5-7 p.m. April 30 at Morrison Elementary, 3415 Newton Road; Howard Elementary, 1301 N. Eighth St.; and Goldtrap Boys and Girls Club, 8800 Dallas St., all in Fort Smith. Outlying block parties also will be from 5-7 p.m. April 30 at Tate Elementary, 406 Catcher Road in Van Buren; Barling Elementary, 1400 D St. in Barling; and at the Charleston Fairgrounds, 311 Freedom Road in Charleston.

The local Step Up, Speak Out movement stemmed from Sicard’s response to the Penn State child abuse scandal that made news in late 2011. He wanted to better understand similar situations that could be happening in this area and toured the Hamilton House, a local center for abused children. After learning of the immense number of cases the program handled monthly, he was dedicated to forming a community effort to help fight for these young victims.

Two years later, Step Up, Speak Out continues to carry out Sicard’s vision of becoming an educated community and working together to protect children from abuse so that the future incidence of abuse is minimized, if not eliminated altogether.

“The message is trying to educate kids that it’s OK to tell, who to tell and how to tell,” Sicard said. “On top of all that, it’s fun. This is a tough subject, so we want it to be fun and have entertainment and games for the kids.”